The Football Association's search for a successor to Sven-Goran Eriksson goes on - with no agreement yet on who seems likeliest to get the job. BBC Sport rounds up the latest news and speculation as FA chief executive Brian Barwick, international committee chairman Noel White, Premier League chairman Dave Richards and FA vice-chairman David Dein search for a manager.
22 APRIL:
Steve McClaren may be the bookmakers', and possibly the FA's favourite for the England job, but according to BBC Sport's poll, he lags behind Martin O'Neill, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Sam Allardyce with the fans.
So it seems an opportune time for the Middlesbrough boss to defend himself, but McClaren, who says the speculation is "flattering", sees things differently.
"Do I need to defend my record? No, it's there in black and white," he says in Saturday's newspapers. "You just have to look at the facts, and that's all I am.
"I manage a football team and I'm judged on results, end of story."
But if Teddy Sheringham had a say, McClaren would have a long, long wait before he was ready for the England job.
"It would probably come a bit too soon if Steve was appointed now," said the West Ham striker, who was coached by McClaren at Manchester United.
"He has still got a lot of learning to do over the next 10 years."
Most of the newspapers believe McClaren will only have to wait a matter of days, even though the Independent believes that is largely because he the "candidate of compromise" within the FA.
But Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari is also reportedly in the frame after impressing at his interview.
WHAT THE MANAGERS ARE SAYING
Alan Curbishley:
17 April - "The whole thing is bizarre. Every day you are news and it's difficult when you are trying to run your club. Whenever I go into a press conference before a game it gets hijacked by people wanting to talk about England.
Sam Allardyce:
12 April - "I'd like to reassure everyone connected with Bolton that I'm looking for players so that we can continue to compete with the elite of English and European football." Steve McClaren:
21 April - "Obviously it's flattering, but it's due to the success of the football club, it's due to the success of what the players are doing on the park. Do I need to defend my record? No, it's there in black and white. You just have to look at the facts, and that's all I am. I manage a football team and I'm judged on results, end of story." Martin O'Neill:
Former Celtic boss O'Neill is the only one of the five candidates believed to be on the FA's shortlist not to have made any comment so far. Luiz Felipe Scolari
15 April - "I'll think about my future after 31 July. I don't know what I'll do after Germany." WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
Send us your comments about the England manager's job using the form below and we will post a selection here. No doubt the England fans will be 'fitted up' by the old men who make the appointments, and we will end up with another amiable 'yes man'. We are a good team at present, simply because we have several world class players. Despite Eriksson, we may actually do well. I would appoint Big Sam, he appears to be one hell of a motivator of players, and perhaps might ruffle a few of the old feathers out.
Rob Nichols, England
It must be an English person and that can only mean Sam. He has the heart and the guts to stand up to anyone and will not dilly dally around. The media will aslo be put into their place with short shrift answers; no messing about with Sam.
Jim Chilton, India
There is no way in the world that Steve McClaren should be in the running. He has spent millions at Middlesbrough and yet they are still in the bottom half of the table. Any of the others mentioned would be far better, but my first choice would be Martin O'Neill.
Dave Fothergill, Australia
It frightens me to see that McClaren is even in the running. Of the likely candidates O'Neill is far and away the best of the bunch. I wish we had gone for Hiddink, however. Look what he has acheived with the Aussies!
Dylan, USA
It has to be Curbishley. He has transformed Charlton from a low Championship team with no ground, no money, very few fans...to a mid-table Premiership team with a little money and 27,000 fans. That's success.
Jamie, UK
McClaren has won the treble at Man Utd (as coach) and has the best credentials for the job which is why I think he will get the job.
Craig, Edinburgh, Scotland
Only Big Phil Scolari has the pedigree for the job. How McClaren can go from Premiership manager on the brink of failure to front runner for the England job defeats me. A good run in the Uefa cup against mediocre opponents and progress to the FA Cup semis having avoided any of the big names hardly justifies the acclaim.
Robbo, England
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
